Keno employing one or more guaranteed matching drawn spots for tournaments

Abstract

Gaming systems and methods that provide a play of a keno game having one or more guaranteed matching drawn spots such as where the play of the keno game is part of a play of a tournament, and thereby increases the expected amount won in the play of the keno game for the play of the tournament.

The claims are as follows: 
     
         1 . A gaming system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device storing a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 cause a display, by a display device, of a play of a tournament comprising a plurality of plays of a keno game, wherein each of the plurality of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament comprises:
 a display, by the display device, of a keno card comprising a plurality of spots, 
 a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of player spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, 
 a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of drawn spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, wherein the quantity of drawn spots comprise a first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots and a second quantity of non-guaranteed matching drawn spots, the first quantity being at least one, the second quantity being at least one, and 
 a display, by the display device, of an amount based on the drawn spots that match the player spots; and 
 
 cause a display, by a display device, of an indication of an outcome of the play of the tournament. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each of the plurality of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the display, by the display device, of the drawn spots for that play of the keno game after shuffling an order of the guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game and the non-guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         3 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament are all of the plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament. 
     
     
         4 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament are less than all of the plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, and for at least one additional play of the keno game for the play of the tournament, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each additional play of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause:
 a display, by the display device, of the keno card comprising the plurality of spots,   a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of player spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card,   a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of drawn spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, wherein all of the plurality of drawn spots comprise non-guaranteed matching drawn spots, and   a display, by the display device, of an amount based on the drawn spots that match the player spots.   
     
     
         5 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each of the plurality of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the display, by the display device, of no indications that any of the drawn spots for that play of the keno game are the guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         6 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for one of the plurality of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game to be at least equal to a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         7 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for one of the plurality of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game to be less than a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         8 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each of the plurality of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game to be at least equal to a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         9 . The gaming system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each of the plurality of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game to be less than a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         10 . A gaming system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device storing a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 cause a display, by a display device, of a play of a tournament comprising a first quantity of plays of a keno game and a second quantity of plays of the keno game, wherein the first quantity is at least one, wherein the second quantity is at least one,
 wherein each of the first quantity of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament comprises:
 a display, by the display device, of a keno card comprising a plurality of spots, 
 a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of player spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, 
 a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of drawn spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, wherein the quantity of drawn spots comprise a first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots and a second quantity of non-guaranteed matching drawn spots, the first quantity being at least one, the second quantity being at least one, and 
 a display, by the display device, of an amount based on the drawn spots that match the player spots, and 
 
 wherein each of the second quantity of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament comprises:
 a display, by the display device, of the keno card comprising the plurality of spots, 
 a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of player spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, 
 a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of drawn spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, wherein all of the quantity of drawn spots comprise non-guaranteed matching drawn spots, and 
 a display, by the display device, of an amount based on the drawn spots that match the player spots; and 
 
 
 cause a display, by a display device, of an indication of an outcome of the play of the tournament. 
   
     
     
         11 . The gaming system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each of the first quantity of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the display, by the display device, of the drawn spots for that play of the keno game after shuffling an order of the guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game and the non-guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         12 . The gaming system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each of the first quantity of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the display, by the display device, of no indications that any of the drawn spots for that play of the keno game are the guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         13 . The gaming system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for one of the first quantity of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game to be at least equal to a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         14 . The gaming system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for one of the first quantity of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game to be less than a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         15 . The gaming system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each of the first quantity of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game to be at least equal to a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         16 . The gaming system of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for each of the first quantity of plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for that play of the keno game to be less than a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for that play of the keno game. 
     
     
         17 . A gaming system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device storing a plurality of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 cause a display, by a display device, of a play of a tournament comprising a plurality of plays of a keno game, wherein one of the plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament comprises:
 a display, by the display device, of a keno card comprising a plurality of spots, 
 a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of player spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, 
 a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of drawn spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, wherein the quantity of drawn spots comprise a first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots and a second quantity of non-guaranteed matching drawn spots, the first quantity being at least one, the second quantity being at least one, wherein the display is after shuffling of an order of the guaranteed matching drawn spots for the play of the keno game and the non-guaranteed matching drawn spots for the play of the keno game, and wherein the display comprises no indications that any of the drawn spots for the play of the keno game are the guaranteed matching drawn spots for the play of the keno game, 
 a display, by the display device, of an amount based on the drawn spots that match the player spots; and 
 
 cause a display, by a display device, of an indication of an outcome of the play of the tournament. 
   
     
     
         18 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein for an additional one of the plays of the keno game for the play of the tournament, the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to cause:
 a display, by the display device, of the keno card comprising the plurality of spots,   a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of player spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card,   a display, by the display device, of indications of each of a plurality of drawn spots selected from the plurality of spots of the keno card, wherein all of the quantity of drawn spots comprise non-guaranteed matching drawn spots, and   a display, by the display device, of an amount based on the drawn spots that match the player spots.   
     
     
         19 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for the play of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for the play of the keno game to be at least equal to a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for the play of the keno game. 
     
     
         20 . The gaming system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to, for the play of the keno game for the play of the tournament, cause the first quantity of guaranteed matching drawn spots for the play of the keno game to be less than a quantity of drawn spots needed for an amount greater than zero to be won for the play of the keno game.